Cysteine Production Planned For Japan

The amino acid producers Ajinomoto and Nippon Rika will set up a joint venture to produce cysteine in Japan. The two firms expect their plant to open in late 2017. Most of the world’s cysteine, an amino acid used in pharmaceuticals, food ingredients, and flavorings, is made in China, where it’s extracted from human hair. Ajinomoto has a process for making cystine, a cysteine intermediate, via fermentation. Demand is growing for non-Chinese cysteine, Ajinomoto says, owing to concerns over sudden supply interruptions as China increases environmental controls.